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US11272415B2ActiveUtilityPatentIndex 62

Intra-RAT handovers with core network change

Assignee: ERICSSON TELEFON AB L MPriority: Apr 5, 2018Filed: Jan 21, 2019Granted: Mar 8, 2022
Est. expiryApr 5, 2038(~11.8 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:ARAUJO LIANRUGELAND PATRIKTEYEB OUMER
H04W 36/14H04W 36/08H04W 36/12H04W 84/042
62
PatentIndex Score
1
Cited by
15
References
24
Claims

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for handover of a UE (100) from a source node (20, 30) connected to a first core network (50, 60) to a target node (20, 30) connected to a second core network (50, 60). The UE (100) receives, from the source node (20, 30), a mobility command including an indication of the radio access technology (RAT) used by the target node (20, 30) and a message container containing configuration information for the target node (20, 30). The UE (100) further determines, based on the indication of the RAT used by the target node (20, 30), whether to treat the handover as an inter-RAT handover or as an intra-RAT handover with a core network change, and performs a radio resource control procedure for one of an inter-RAT handover or an intra-RAT handover with a core network change based on the determination.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method implemented by a user equipment in a wireless communication network of performing a handover from a source node connected to a first core network to a target node connected to a second core network, said method comprising:
 receiving, from the source node, a mobility command including an indication of a radio access technology (RAT) used by the target node and a message container containing configuration information for the target node; and 
 determining based on the indication of the RAT used by the target node whether to treat the handover as an inter-RAT handover or as an intra-RAT handover with a core network change; and 
 performing a radio resource control procedure for one of an inter-RAT handover or an intra-RAT handover with a core network change based on the determination. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the determining comprises determining to treat the handover is an intra-RAT handover with a core network change when the indication indicates a first type of RAT. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein:
 the first RAT type is Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, UMTS, Terrestrial Radio Access, E-UTRA; and 
 the mobility command comprises an E-UTRA MobilityFromEUTRACommand. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein performing a radio resource control procedure based on the determination comprises:
 upon successfully completing the handover, remaining in a Radio Resource Control Connected, RRC_CONNECTED, state and ending Mobility from E-UTRA procedures. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3  wherein performing a radio resource control procedure based on the determination comprises:
 upon occurrence of a mobility failure, performing an intra-RAT handover failure procedure; and 
 wherein the mobility failure comprises a reconfiguration failure, a handover to EUTRA failure, or a timer expiration. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 3  wherein the message container contains an E-UTRA RRCConnectionReconfiguration message from the target node. 
     
     
       7. A user equipment in a wireless communication network, said user equipment comprising:
 a communication circuit configured for communication with one or more nodes in the wireless communication network; and 
 a processing circuit configured to:
 receive, from a source node, a mobility command including an indication of a radio access technology, RAT, used by a target node and a message container containing configuration information for the target node; and 
 determine based on the indication of the RAT used by the target node whether to treat the handover is an inter-RAT handover or as an intra-RAT handover with a core network change; and 
 perform a radio resource control procedure for one of an inter-RAT handover or an intra-RAT handover with a core network change based on the determination. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The user equipment according to  claim 7  wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine, based on the indication of the RAT used by the target node, to treat the handover is an intra-RAT handover with a core network change when the indication indicates a first type of RAT. 
     
     
       9. The user equipment of  claim 8  wherein:
 the first RAT type is Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, UMTS, Terrestrial Radio Access, EUTRA; and 
 the mobility command comprises an E-UTRA MobilityFromEUTRACommand. 
 
     
     
       10. The user equipment of  claim 9  wherein the processing circuit is further configured to, upon the UE to successfully completing the handover, remain in a Radio Resource Control Connected, RRC_CONNECTED, state and end Mobility from E-UTRA procedures. 
     
     
       11. The user equipment of  claim 9  wherein:
 the processing circuit is further configured to, upon occurrence of a mobility failure, perform an intra-RAT handover failure procedure; and 
 the mobility failure comprises a reconfiguration failure or a handover to E-UTRA failure. 
 
     
     
       12. The user equipment according to  claim 9  wherein the message container contains an E-UTRA RRCConnectionReconfiguration message from the target node. 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a computer program comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing circuit in a user equipment in a wireless communication network causes the user equipment to: receive, from a source node, a mobility command including an indication of a radio access technology, RAT, used by a target node and a message container containing configuration information for the target node; and
 determine based on the indication of the RAT used by the target node whether to treat the handover is an inter-RAT handover or as an intra-RAT handover with a core network change; and 
 perform a radio resource control procedure for one of an inter-RAT handover or an intra-RAT handover with a core network change based on the determination. 
 
     
     
       14. A method implemented by a source node connected to a first core network to hand over a user equipment(UE) to a target node connected to a second core network, said method comprising:
 sending, to the UE, a mobility command including a radio access technology (RAT) type indication and a message container containing configuration information for the target node; and 
 setting the RAT type indication in the mobility command to a predetermined value to indicate to the user equipment that the handover involves a core network change. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14  wherein the source node and target node comprise E-UTRA base stations. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  wherein the mobility command comprises an E-UTRA MobilityFromEutraCommand. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 16  wherein the message container contains an E-UTRA RRCConnectionReconfiguration message from the target node. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16  wherein setting the RAT type indication in the mobility command to a predetermined value comprises setting the RAT type indication in the mobility command to eutra. 
     
     
       19. A base station in a wireless communication network, said base station comprising:
 a communication circuit configured for communication with a user equipment(UE) in the wireless communication network; and 
 a processing circuit configured to:
 send, to the UE, a mobility command including a radio access technology (RAT) type indication and a message container containing configuration information for the target base station; and 
 set the RAT type indication in the mobility command to a predetermined value to indicate to the UE that the handover involves a core network change. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The base station of  claim 19  wherein the base station and target base station both comprise E-UTRA base stations. 
     
     
       21. The base station of  claim 20  wherein the mobility command comprises an E-UTRA MobilityFromEutraCommand. 
     
     
       22. The base station according to  claim 21  wherein the message container contains an E-UTRA RRCConnectionReconfiguration message from the target node. 
     
     
       23. The base station of  claim 21  wherein the processing circuit is configured to set the RAT type indication in the mobility command to eutra to indicate to the UE that the handover involves a core network change. 
     
     
       24. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a computer program comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing circuit in a base station in a wireless communication network causes the base station to:
 send, to a user equipment (UE), a mobility command including a radio access technology (RAT) type indication and a message container containing configuration information for the target base station; and 
 set the RAT type indication in the mobility command to a predetermined value to indicate to the UE that the handover involves a core network change.

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